Girl with a Pearl Earring is a famous painting that was created by Johannes Vermeer, a well-known artist from the Netherlands, in the 17th century. It is a portrait of a girl on a black background wearing a yellow and blue scarf around her head and a pearl earring. The identity of the girl remains unknown until now. The painting was also an inspiration for the book Girl with a Pearl Earring by American writer Tracy Chevalier.
It was created during the Dutch Golden Age and is considered to be a tronie, a type of portrait. While portraits are mostly focused on face anatomy and are supposed to present the model’s exact look, try to convey stereotypical characteristics and expressions, the person’s soul. One can see that Girl with a Pearl Earring is a tronie, because, even though her face is a center of attention, it is hard to describe it. What color are her hair and her eyes, what shape are her face and her nose? One can guess answers to these questions, but cannot be entirely positive about them. It creates a mystery that captured the attention of many critics for years.
From the first glimpse, one is fascinated with this work of art. It undoubtedly is beautiful, the way the painter played with shadows and light on the girl’s face makes one look at it, forgetting about time, wondering what mysteries and secrets were hidden in that painting. The curiosity in a girl’s eyes is a topic for much debate. What makes her look that way, and who is she looking at? It is evident, she was looking at the painter, but what did he do to cause that expression? These are the questions that many ask when looking at this piece of art. Without a doubt, the painting remains one of the most significant artworks of all time.